Air-conditioning system with filter slot and air-treatment device therein

ABSTRACT

An air-conditioning system has a filter slot in which a replaceable filter can be held. An air-treatment device in the air-conditioning system can be introduced into the filter slot through a service opening of same provided in an inlet region of the filter slot and can be mounted and fixed on at least one edge delimiting the service opening of the filter slot.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an air-conditioning system having a filter slot in which a replaceable filter can be held, and to an air-treatment device, preferably an ionization and/or fragrancing device and/or an ozonator, provided for mounting and fixing in the air-conditioning system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The air-treatment device is in particular intended to be installed subsequently in filter slots present in air-conditioning systems. The air-treatment device of the air-conditioning system or the air-treatment device to be integrated subsequently into the air-conditioning system is suitable for influencing the air flowing through the air-conditioning system in some way. To this end, the air-treatment device can in particular be in the form of a perfumator or ionizer or an ozonator and in particular be used for disinfecting the air-conditioning system.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

Proceeding from the prior art described above, the invention is based on the object of providing an air-conditioning system and an air-treatment device for integration into an air-conditioning system with which the installation of the air-treatment device should be simple and stable in the long term and entail a low financial outlay. Furthermore, it must still be possible to guide a filter of the air-conditioning system into the filter slot of the air-conditioning system and out of said filter slot in a simple manner even after integration of the air-treatment device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is achieved according to the invention by an air-treatment device which is arranged in the air-conditioning system, can be introduced into the filter slot through a service opening of same provided in the inlet region of the filter slot, and can be mounted and fixed on at least one edge delimiting the service opening of the filter slot.

The geometric dimensions of the air-treatment device are designed such that the air-treatment device can be mounted inside the air-conditioning system through the service opening of the filter slot present in the air-conditioning system. In existing air-conditioning systems, the replaceable filter, usually in the form of a fibre filter, of the air-conditioning system must be removed first to do this. After removal of the replaceable filter, the air-treatment device is introduced through the service opening into the filter slot of the air-conditioning system. The spatial fixing of the air-treatment device inside the air-conditioning system is implemented on the edge delimiting the service opening of the filter slot.

According to an alternative embodiment, it is of course conceivable for the air-treatment device to be mounted and fixed on two edges which are perpendicular to each other and delimit the service opening.

It is essential to the implementation of the air-conditioning system according to the invention and of the air-treatment device according to the invention to be integrated in said air-conditioning system that the air-treatment device can be mounted on the inlet region of the filter slot of the air-conditioning system in such a manner that the replaceable filter can be guided into the filter slot and out of the filter slot through the inlet region of the filter slot, past the air-treatment device.

The air-treatment device is advantageously fixed on the edge delimiting the service opening of the filter slot by means of at least one metal clip.

If the air-treatment device to be integrated in the air-conditioning system must be supplied with electrical energy for its operation, it is advantageous if the at least one metal clip is in the form of an electrical contacting and conducting element for supplying the air-treatment device with electricity.

The mounting of the air-treatment device according to the invention in the air-conditioning system or the air-conditioning system according to the invention can be implemented even more simply if the at least one metal clip is mounted and fixed on the air-treatment device before the air-treatment device is mounted on the inlet region of the filter slot of the air-conditioning system.

Advantageously, the at least one metal clip can be injection-molded into a base part of the air-treatment device, and the base part can be fixed bearing against an inner face of the air-conditioning system which forms the edge delimiting the service opening of the filter slot.

In order to ensure long-term spatial fixing of the air-treatment device in relation to the air-conditioning system, it is advantageous if the at least one metal clip is formed from a spring steel.

The air-treatment device according to the invention can be in the form of an ionization and/or fragrancing device and/or an ozonator.

Stable spatial fixing of the air-treatment device inside the air-conditioning system, which can be implemented with few and simply carried out method steps, is achievable if the at least one metal clip is U-shaped and fixes the base part of the air-treatment device on the inlet region of the filter slot by fitting astraddle over the edge delimiting the service opening of the filter slot.

In order to ensure that the replaceable filter of the air-conditioning system can still be guided easily into the filter slot and out of the filter slot after the air-treatment device has been mounted inside the air-conditioning system and in the region of the service opening of the air slot of the air-conditioning system, it is advantageous if the at least one metal clip has a material thickness of no more than 0.8 mm, preferably 0.5 mm or less. The material thicknesses mentioned are easily sufficient, in particular in the case of a metal clip consisting of spring steel, to ensure firm spatial fixing of the air-treatment device inside the air-conditioning system in the long term.

The essential material properties of the metal clips, such as the stability and the spring force, change only insignificantly in the temperature ranges occurring during operation of air-conditioning systems, usually between −40 degrees C. and +105 degrees C.

In order to ensure the relevant functionality when the metal clips are used as contact and line elements for electricity supply, cavities in the material of the base part, which is usually plastic, can be provided in the regions of the base part of the air-treatment device which receive the metal clips.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention is explained in more detail below using an embodiment and with reference to the drawing whose sole FIGURE shows the region essential to the present invention of an embodiment of an air-conditioning system according to the invention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment, shown in the single FIGURE showing the region essential to the present invention, of an air-conditioning system 1 according to the invention has a wall 2 which delimits the interior of the air-conditioning system from the outside and is shown on its inner face facing the interior of the air-conditioning system 1 in the schematic diagram shown in the single FIGURE.

The air-conditioning system 1 shown in the single FIGURE includes a filter slot 3, to which a service opening 4 formed in the wall 2 of the air-conditioning system 1 is assigned. A replaceable filter (not shown in the FIGURES), which can be a fibre filter or the like, for example, can be held in the filter slot 3.

An air-treatment device 5 is integrated into the air-conditioning system 1 shown in the single FIGURE. In the case of the air-conditioning system 1 shown in the FIGURE, the air-treatment device 5 can also be installed subsequently into the air-conditioning system 1.

The air-treatment device 5 can be in the form of e.g. a perfumator or ionizer and/or an ozonator and be used for example to disinfect the air-conditioning system 1. In the embodiment shown, the air-treatment device is in the form of an ionization device 5. The ionization device 5 is intended to increase the filtering and separating capacity of the replaceable filter (not shown in the FIGURE), which is usually in the form of a fibre filter, in the usual manner. The operation of the ionization device 5 in the air-conditioning system 1 provides the fibers of the filter with a static charge. This leads to the formation of polarisation on the fibers of the filters. Some of the particles, e.g. dust, bacteria, viruses, pollen etc., present in the air flowing through the air-conditioning system 1 are also charged. Since opposing charges attract, the said charged particles are deposited better in the filter, in the form of a fibre filter, of the air-conditioning system 1. A second effect by means of which the filtering and separating capacity of the filter, in the form of a fibre filter, of the air-conditioning system 1 is increased consists in that free electrons, charged particles and water molecules form larger agglomerations of particles, which can be deposited better in the filter, in the form of a fibre filter, of the air-conditioning system 1, owing to their geometric enlargement.

As can be seen in the single FIGURE, the ionization device 5 can be introduced into the filter slot 3 through the service opening 4 which is provided in the inlet region of the filter slot 3 and passes through the wall 2 of the air-conditioning system 1.

In the shown embodiment of the air-conditioning system 1, the spatial fixing and mounting of the ionization device 5 inside the air-conditioning system 1 is effected by means of two metal clips 6.

In the shown embodiment of the air-conditioning system 1, the ionization device 5 thereof has a base part 7 to which an ionization unit 8 of the ionization device 5 is attached.

The base part 7 is brought to bear against the inner face of the wall 2 of the air-conditioning system 1, as is shown in the single FIGURE. The fixing of the base part 7 and thus of the air-treatment device 5 in the form of the ionization device on the air-conditioning system 1 is carried out by means of the aforementioned two metal clips 6, which are U-shaped in the shown embodiment of the air-conditioning system 1 according to the invention. The two metal clips 6 are fixed at one end to the base part 7 of the ionization device 5. The base part 7 of the ionization device 5 is fixed to the wall 2 of the air-conditioning system by the U-shaped metal clips 6 fitting astraddle over an edge 9 delimiting the service opening 4 of the filter slot 2 and thus fastening the base part 7 to the wall 2 of the air-conditioning system 1; the prestress of the metal clips 6 is selected to be such that stable fixing of the air-treatment device or ionization device 5 on the wall 2 of the air-conditioning system 1 is ensured in the long term.

Alternatively, it is of course possible for the air-treatment device or ionization device 3 to be mounted and fixed on two edges which are perpendicular to each other and delimit the service opening 4.

In the shown embodiment of the air-conditioning system 1 according to the invention, both metal clips 6 are already fastened to the base part 7 of the ionization device 5 before the ionization device 3 is installed on the inlet region of the filter slot 2 of the air-conditioning system. To this end, the metal clips 6 can be injection-molded into the base part 7, which is usually produced from a plastic. The wall 2 of the air-conditioning system 1 is then clamped between the two legs of the U-shaped metal clips 6, one leg of which is in each case injection-molded into the base part 7 of the ionization device 5, effecting the spatial fixing of the ionization device.

If the air-treatment device is in the form of an ionization device 3 and therefore must be connected to an electricity supply, as in the case of the shown embodiment of the air-conditioning system 1 according to the invention, the metal clips 6 can be in the form of electrical contacting and conducting elements, by means of which the ionization unit 8 of the ionization device 5 can be supplied with electrical energy.

The metal clips 6 are formed from a suitable spring steel, the material thickness of the metal clips being comparatively small. In any case, the material thickness of the metal clips 6 is so small that the replaceable filter (not shown in the single FIGURE) of the air-conditioning system 1 can be guided into the filter slot 3 and out of the filter slot 3 through the inlet region of the filter slot 3, past the ionization device 5. This can be easily implemented in the case of the air-conditioning system 1 according to the invention, since the metal clips 6 can be implemented with a comparatively small material thickness, which can be e.g. 0.5 mm or less, but the prestress of the metal clips 6 is sufficient to ensure durable fixing of the ionization device 5 on the wall 2 of the air-conditioning system 1 in the long term.

The air-treatment device 5, which in particular can also be integrated subsequently into the air-conditioning system 1, is designed in terms of its geometric dimensions such that it can be introduced into the air-conditioning system 1 through the existing service opening 4 and mounted at its site of use. To this end, the replaceable filter (not shown in the single FIGURE) of the air-conditioning system 1 must be removed from the filter slot 3 first. Then the air-treatment device 5 is introduced into the filter slot 3 of the air-conditioning system 1 through the service opening 4. The air-treatment device 5 is then pushed to the side in the interior of the air-conditioning system 1 such that the wall 2 of the air-conditioning system is held between the legs of the two U-shaped metal clips 6. As soon as the bottoms of the metal clips 6 come to bear against the edge 9 of the service opening 4, the air-treatment device 5 is spatially fixed on the wall 2 and thus inside the air-conditioning system 1 in the long term. The replaceable filter can easily be introduced into the filter slot 3 through the service opening 4, which is minimally reduced in size after the air-treatment device 5 has been mounted.

In the embodiment shown, the air-conditioning system 1 or the region thereof shown in the single FIGURE includes air-conducting elements 10, 11, 12, of which the two air-conducting elements 10 and 11 are attached on the air-conditioning system side, and the air-conducting element 12 is attached on the air-treatment device side.

The air-treatment device 5 is arranged upstream of the filter (not shown in the single FIGURE) in the flow direction of the air flowing through the air-conditioning system 1. 

I claim:
 1. An air-conditioning system comprising a filter slot in which a replaceable filter can be held, characterized by an air-treatment device in the air-conditioning system can be introduced into the filter slot through a service opening of same provided in an inlet region of the filter slot and can be mounted and fixed on at least one edge delimiting the service opening of the filter slot.
 2. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, the air-treatment device of which can be mounted and fixed on two edges which are perpendicular to each other and delimit the service opening.
 3. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air-treatment device is mounted on the inlet region of the filter slot in such a manner that the replaceable filter can be guided into the filter slot and out of the filter slot through the inlet region of the filter slot, past the air-treatment device.
 4. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the air-treatment device is fixed on the edge delimiting the service opening of the filter slot by means of at least one metal clip.
 5. The air-conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one metal clip is in the form of an electrical contacting and conducting element for supplying the air-treatment device with electricity.
 6. The air-conditioning system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the at least one metal clip is mounted and fixed on the air-treatment device before the air-treatment device is mounted on the inlet region of the filter slot of the air-conditioning system.
 7. The air-conditioning system according to claim 6, wherein the at least one metal clip is injection-molded into a base part of the air-treatment device, wherein the base part can be fixed bearing against an inner face of the air-conditioning system which forms the edge delimiting the service opening of the filter slot.
 8. The air-conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one metal clip is formed from a spring steel.
 9. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the air-treatment device is in the form of an ionization and/or fragrancing device and/or an ozonator.
 10. The air-conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one metal clip is U-shaped and fixes the base part of the air-treatment device on the inlet region of the filter slot by fitting astraddle over the edge delimiting the service opening of the filter slot.
 11. The air-conditioning system according to claim 4, the at least one metal clip of which has a material thickness of no more than 0.8 mm.
 12. The air-conditioning system according to claim 11 wherein the material thickness is 0.5 mm or less.
 13. An air-treatment device, preferably an ionization and/or fragrancing device and/or an ozonator, for mounting and fixing in an air-conditioning system according to claim
 1. 